Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a beggar who claims to have lost all their possessions as the result of a fire.

c.1566		Harman Caveat for Common Cursetours in Viles & Furnivall (1907) 61: This glimmering Morte, repayringe to an Ine in the saytle towne where dwelt a wydow of fyftie wynter olde of good welth.
1592		Groundworke of Conny-catching Ch. 16: This glymmering Mort flinges a great stone at him.
1608		Dekker Belman of London D4: The Demaunders of Glymmer, that is to say, those who trauell up and downe with licenses to begge, because their houses have beene consumed with fire, for Glymmer (in canting) signifies fire. These Glymmering Morts are so tenderhearted, that they shed teares if they make but mention of their losses.
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 39: The rest in order thus [...] Dommerars, Glymmerers.
1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) 60: The Glymmerers are such as travel up and down with licences to beg, under the pretence that they have lost all by fire.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Glimmerer c. the Twenty second Rank of the Canting Tribe, begging with Sham Licences, pretending to Losses by Fire, &c.
1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 184: The Glimmerers are such as go up and down a Maunding, under Pretence they have been undone by Fire, and for the most part have a Forg’d Certificate.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1849		Examiner 14 Apr. 10/2: The glymmering-morts who had always a tale of distress, were [...] so tender-hearted, that they shed tears. These glymmerers were [etc.].
1861		(con. 15C) C. Reade Cloister and Hearth (1864) II 33: Come with me to the ‘rotboss’ there, and I’ll show thee all our folk and their lays [...] ‘Rufflers,’ ‘whipjalks,’ [sic] ‘dommerars,’ ‘glymmerars,’ ‘jarkmen,’ ‘patricos,’ ‘swadders,’ ‘autem morts,’ and ‘walking morts’.

2. a person, usu. a woman, who gains entry to a house on the pretext of getting a light for the fire and, while inside, steals whatever she can.

1665

Head Eng. Rogue.

3. one who deliberately sets fire to a house, hoping to take advantage of the confusion in order to steal.

1688		R. Holme Academy of Armory Ch. iii item 68b: Give me leave to give you the names (as in their Canting Language they call themselves) of all (or most of such) as follow the Vagabond Trade, according to their Regiments or Divisions, as [...] Glymmerers, Firers of Houses, thereby to Steal in Confusions.
1754		Scoundrel’s Dict. 21: The Glimmerer has bit the bubbing cully of his bung.

4. (UK Und.) a link-boy, hired to guide one along the unlit streets.

1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 184: The Glimmerer has bit the bubbing Cully of his bung The Link man has robb’d the Drunken Cully of his Purse.
1725		Dr Saman Golden Cabinet of Secrets n.p.: The glimmerer has bit the Bubbing-cully of his Bung The Link-man has robbed the drunken Cully of his Purse.